Best scope for observing Saturn?

TenLeftFingers

I have a voucher for Argos and this is their limited selection: http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10152&catalogId=14551&langId=111&searchTerms=Telescope&authToken=%252d1002%252c8RvTgzRQUIkiaCQg1wd0wg264Io%253d

Am I wasting my time? My main preference is to be able to see my favourite planet, Saturn and Mars if it doesn't complicate things. Price is my next preference. After that, things like portability take third place.

Thanks,
Ten

shedweller

Have a read here. Its in the usa but the same still applies.
http://www.astro-tom.com/telescopes/buying_telescopes.htm
You'll want a bit of power but aperature as well. The cheapest way to do this is with a dobsonian. They're far easier to set up and you're less likely to give up. Equatorials need a fair bit of setting up and for a novice this can be disheartening.
Mirror telescopes need collimating and this can be done with a cheap collimator in the eyepiece socket. The images will be much better afterwards and i have to say, it is actually easy enough to do as well.
In terms of focal length, well more is better for planets. But aperature HAS to go up accordingly or you'll end up with dark views. Thats where a dobsonian does well.
The purist planetary observers use refractors but the purist also has thousands to spend!
Mere mortals can do just fine with a dob. I believe they can be equatorially mounted afterwards if the notion takes you??
Best of luck with whatever you buy. I wish i had the time to get one!

TenLeftFingers

shedweller wrote: »

Have a read here. Its in the usa but the same still applies.
http://www.astro-tom.com/telescopes/buying_telescopes.htm
You'll want a bit of power but aperature as well. The cheapest way to do this is with a dobsonian. They're far easier to set up and you're less likely to give up. Equatorials need a fair bit of setting up and for a novice this can be disheartening.
Mirror telescopes need collimating and this can be done with a cheap collimator in the eyepiece socket. The images will be much better afterwards and i have to say, it is actually easy enough to do as well.
In terms of focal length, well more is better for planets. But aperature HAS to go up accordingly or you'll end up with dark views. Thats where a dobsonian does well.
The purist planetary observers use refractors but the purist also has thousands to spend!
Mere mortals can do just fine with a dob. I believe they can be equatorially mounted afterwards if the notion takes you??
Best of luck with whatever you buy. I wish i had the time to get one!

Thanks Shedweller, that simplifies things a lot and they have a supplier in Ireland. To be honest, I'm just realising how feint the view is from anything in the beginner range so maybe I'll go to a group meeting and see what results people get. I hadn't realised how much processing goes into the images I see captured or in magazines.

shedweller

Oh yeah! Very heavy on the post processing! I've seen pics of jupiter that were "taken by an amateur" but when i dug around i found out he used €30k of equipment and has no life outside astronomy!! Good for him! I aint got time fo dat!

Kersh

If you truly want a great planetary scope, then look no further than the Maksutov-Cassegrain type, like the Skywatcher Skymax type.
Very long focal lengths, for big magnification, which is essentially what is needed for great planetary views.
The scopes in the link will leave you disappointed if its Saturn you are chasing.

TenLeftFingers

Kersh, thank you - you are correct, I won't be satisfied in finding bright smudges. What do you think of this one: http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-sky-watcher-skymax-127-az-synscan-go-to-maksutoc-cassegrain-telescope/p1524306

Kersh

Yep, exactly that, but can be bought here for more or less that price, plus shipping, and exchange, plus it comes with a moon filter.

TenLeftFingers

Okay, I've just found a vid with the same setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erwd8ul0IWU

Saturn is visible for sure, thank you! Out of curiosity, what would it take to get a substantially better image? I'm sure it's out of my budget but still...

Kersh

Something like this - gives higher magnification per eyepiece used.

www.ktectelescopes.ie/Skywatcher-Skymax-150-PRO-HEQ5-PRO-SynScan.html

or this - www.ktectelescopes.ie/Skywatcher-Skymax-180-PRO-HEQ5-PRO-SynScan.html